The Auction Hunters Experience The Gold Rush In Episode Eight

by MHofstatterMay 20, 2011 at 4:30AM
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Views: 6,445

It was another explosive adventure for the Auction Hunters this week as they made their way back to Southern California. There were more than a few surprises in store, and it served as a reminder that sometimes a find isn't worth all that much until you put a little effort into it. All-new episodes air Tuesdays at 10PM/9c.

FIRE IN THE HOLE!Hunting in the city of Rancho Cucamonga was a homecoming for Ton. As a community filled with storage facilities and ripe with auctions, this is where our bald-headed friend first cut his teeth and learned how to become the auction hunting legend he is today. Because there are so many auctions here, the Hunters quickly encountered a heavy mixture of newbies as well as veterans. It was up to Ton and Allen to use their experience to figure out who was who so that when the bidding started they were never caught off-guard.

Gold Rush EquipmentSold For: $4,000

When they find any sort of antique scientific equipment, Ton and Allen know right away that they are in for a nice return. However, when they tore into their first storage unit and found a complex device with foreign writing, they weren't immediately certain what they had found. The only thing they knew was that it was very, very cool! Upon closer inspection they determined that they had a series of prospector equipment items dating back to the California gold rush. With a scale, a sluice box, a warning horn and a blasting box in hand the Hunters were ready to give King Midas a run for his money.

Antique TrunkSold For: $450Handmade and filled with secret compartments this item dates back to the 1800s. Most likely from India, Ton and Allen were eager to find this trunk a good home -- for the right price. In negotiating with an antique dealer, they may not have broken any records with this sale, but with the additional $600 they took in for the silver jewelery they found inside of the trunk, they more than made up for it.

This week we made the head-to-head Facebook matchup a tough one. Putting the gold rush equipment up against the "mysterious" antique trunk left many of our fans voting for the unknown, choosing the trunk. Alas, as lucrative as the contents of the trunk were they were no match for the rare finds that were the equipment. Never say that we don't like to keep our fans on their toes! After all, when staring down a storage unit, you have to make quick decisions. Is that trunk valuable? What's inside of it? It's that experience and fast thinking that makes you the most dollars.

After ticking yet another cross-country trip off their list last week, it was a fun hunt back in Southern California for Ton and Allen this time around. They threw down a healthy $1,175 for their units, but after selling the trunk, the gold rush gear, the pure silver from the jewelery, not to mention the smaller items, the Hunters sold it all for a handsome sum of $6,150. When you do the math, their take home was a golden $4,975.

You can now watch Ton and Allen's explosive adventure in "Fire In The Hole!" right here at Spike.com. All-new episodes of Auction Hunters air on Spike every Tuesday at 10PM/9c. Keep an eye on Facebook for the latest news and updates, and remember each week you can head over to eBay and bid on items found by the Hunters for a good cause. New items are posted each Tuesday.